Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow spent much of 2025 meeting residents where they live, play, and celebrate—often with humour and an unscripted sense of fun. From community sports to niche film fandoms, Chow’s lighter moments helped reinforce an image of approachability at City Hall.
Here are five of her quirkiest public engagements from the year.
An honorary roller derby name: “Olivia Ka-Pow”
In July, Chow attended The Fresh and The Furious, an annual new-player tournament hosted by Hogtown Roller Derby League in Toronto’s east end. She blew the opening whistle, stayed to cheer on players, and was surprised with an honorary roller derby name—“Olivia Ka-Pow”—printed on a Hogtown T-shirt.
“I’m going to wear this at the next council meeting,” Chow joked, embracing the tradition of playful pseudonyms common in roller derby.
Veteran Hogtown player F. Baum said the mayor’s presence signalled meaningful recognition for the sport and for inclusive athletic spaces supporting women, trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive athletes.
A viral baseball bat flip
During the Toronto Blue Jays’ 2025 World Series run, Chow went viral after posting an Instagram video in which she tossed a baseball bat over her shoulder, declaring, “Hey Toronto, we want it all.”
Many fans saw the clip as a nod to José Bautista’s iconic 2015 playoff bat flip. City officials later clarified it was inspired by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s grand slam in Game 2 of the 2025 ALDS against the New York Yankees.
Chow even placed a friendly wager with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass: the losing mayor would wear the winning team’s jersey and bike one mile per run scored. After the Dodgers defeated the Jays in seven games, Chow followed through—cycling in a Dodgers jersey.
Declaring “Blade Hat Day”
Responding to a request from pop-up film organizer Mike Wood of They Might Be Movies, Chow proclaimed Oct. 4, 2025 as Blade Hat Day in Toronto—a tongue-in-cheek celebration inspired by the 1998 film Blade and a cult-favourite hat created by local actor and comedian Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll.
In her proclamation letter, Chow recalled that she and her late husband, Jack Layton, were fans of the film when it was first released. She also praised Fernandez-Stoll’s creative contributions as reflecting “the best a Torontonian can be.”
Running Toronto—one street at a time
In September, Chow joined Toronto resident Carlo De Lorenzi for an early-morning run as part of his mission to run every street in the city. De Lorenzi began the challenge in 2022 and continued after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2025, using the effort to raise funds for Community Music Schools of Toronto.
Chow ran alongside him at 6:45 a.m., later calling it “an honour” to celebrate Toronto’s people and neighbourhoods together. De Lorenzi ultimately logged more than 10,390 streets—over 5,600 kilometres—raising more than $22,000 for the charity.
Making June “Video Game Month”
Chow also leaned into Toronto’s creative tech culture by proclaiming June as Video Game Month, building on Toronto Games Week launched in 2023. The month featured more than 40 events, including festivals, workshops, esports tournaments, and public showcases.
One highlight was the debut of “Torontrons”—custom arcade cabinets built by the Hand Eye Society that showcased local indie games. Announcing the proclamation, Chow said Toronto’s gaming sector is “creative, diverse and forward-thinking,” and that the month was an invitation for residents to explore how games intersect with art, innovation, and community life.
Together, these moments helped define a year in which Toronto’s mayor blended civic leadership with playfulness—often leaving City Hall to join residents on their own turf.